Electrical and electronic systems make use of connectors for coupling different portions of the system together. Such connectors must generally be capable of being engaged and disengaged so that the different parts of the system may be separated, as for example during construction and testing or for transportation and repair.
Many different types of connectors are used in the prior art. Generally the design and construction of such connectors becomes more complex as they are called upon to handle electrical energy at higher and higher frequencies. When microwave frequencies are involved, as for example, above a few hundred megaHertz and more typically above about 0.5 to 1 gigaHertz, it is generally desired to maintain uniform impedance in the signal path. This is because impedance discontinuities cause insertion loss and reflections that adversely affect the system performance. It is especially difficult to avoid such adverse affects in multilead microwave connectors.
Coaxial cables and connectors are common with single lead conductors. However, as the number of leads increase, coaxial connectors are more and more difficult to use. Further, an additional connector or joint must be provided between the coaxial cable and the flat circuit board on which microwave circuits or systems are typically fabricated. This can introduce further losses and reflections in the microwave path.
Thus, there continues to be a need for improved multilead electrical connectors, especially connectors suitable for use a microwave frequencies, and further for improved connectors which can accommodate a large number of leads.
As used herein the words "conductor" and "conductors" refer to leads capable of carrying electrical signals, and "microwave conductor" and "microwave conductors" refer to conductors capable of carrying signals at high frequencies, as for example, above about 0.5 gigaHertz. Microwave conductors include but are not limited to stripline and microstripline conductors.